he graduated from lawrence university and the school of law at stanford university. he has served with distinction throughout his career, earning accolades such as recognition as the washington, d.c., antitrust lawyer of the year by "best lawyers" and as well as one of the decade's most influential shall lawyers by the "national law journal." he's currently head of the antitrust practice group, a very distinguished proud firm based in washington, arnold & porter. and there he draws and his on his 35 years of experience in civil and criminal investigation to manage that work in the area of antitrust litigation, international cartel investigations, and merger and acquisition reviews. in an earlier chapter in his life, bill baer served over several periods at the f.t.c., rising from a trial attorney general during his first term there in 1975 to serve as assistant to the chairman, then assistant general counsel, and between 1995 and 1999 as director of the bureau of competition. but here's the point that i think really speaks to the fact that bill baer's nomination to